Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
A big weekend of football action is upon us once again and that means that it is time for another hefty portion of transfer gossip to be served up for breakfast, I hope you are hungry because there is a lot to get through today, so get your knife and fork and tuck in.
As always – gossip in plain text, may views in bold
Tottenham are ready to drop their interest in Bordeaux winger Malcom as the French club want £45m for the 20-year-old, although Arsenal are still interested in signing the Brazilian. (Mail) It seems as if no Malcolm is no longer in the middle
Manchester United are unlikely to follow up their interest in Leicester’s 30-year-old England striker Jamie Vardy. (Leicester Mercury) Seemed unlikely anyway especially at this point of the season.
Manchester City have made a £45m bid for Shakhtar Donetsk’s Brazilian midfielder Fred, 24. (Manchester Evening News) It was a Manchester tug of war yesterday but City still looks the more likely destination of the two.
Spanish club Espanyol have already prepared for the departure of their manager Quique Sanchez Flores to Stoke City. (Marca – in Spanish) Is this Stoke’s new manager in waiting
Chelsea are interested in appointing either Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri or Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri as successor to Antonio Conte. (Evening Standard) It looks like they will want to continue the Italian theme at Stamford Bridge
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi paid 12m euros (£10.64m) in back taxes at the end of 2016 in order to avoid possible further punishment over his financial affairs – and the money was paid back to him by his Spanish club. (Der Spiegel) Still only a small dent in his finances though, but at least this story can now be put to bed
Argentina international Messi’s contract with Barca guarantees him more than 100m euros a year (£88.6m) in salary. (Mediapart – in French, subscription required) And he is worth every penny
Real Madrid were ready to pay 30-year-old Messi’s 250m euro (£221.7m) buyout clause in 2013. (El Mundo – in Spanish) The Nou Camp would have been burnt down if that was the case
Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, Leeds United and Cardiff City all want to sign Middlesbrough’s 28-year-old English midfielder Adam Clayton. (Northern Echo) Not Adam Clayton from the Irish band U2.
Middlesbrough boss Tony Pulis wants to sign “one or two” new players this month but says his squad is already too big. (Evening Gazette) It looks like it could be a case of sell to buy
Sunderland want to sign Burnley’s 34-year-old Republic of Ireland striker Jon Walters on a loan until the end of the season. (Northern Echo) I honestly forgot that he had moved to Burnley in the Summer such has been the minimal impact of Walters this season.
Crystal Palace’s 29-year-old Mali striker Bakary Sako wants to stay at the club, despite his deal running out in the summer. (Croydon Advertiser) Sako will have to play for a new contract, if he can help keep Palace up then the rewards should follow
Schalke want to re-sign Chelsea defender Baba Rahman. The 23-year-old Ghana left-back spent the first half of last season on loan at the German club. (Evening Standard) Well down the pecking order at Chelsea, this could be a likely move this month
West Ham are prepared to listen to offers for Mexico striker Javier Hernandez but the 29-year-old is not tempted by a move to new MLS team Los Angeles FC. (Mail) A development on yesterday, Hernandez ruling out a return to North America could a new Premier League club be in wait
West Ham boss David Moyes says he has no plans to sell England striker Andy Carroll after the 29-year-old was linked with a move to Chelsea. (Sky Sports) He was never going to be sold to Chelsea for a number of factors. Injury history, Hammers need forwards are two of those
Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard, 27, says he will sign a new contract – and that 25-year-old goalkeeper and fellow Belgium international Thibaut Courtois will also commit to the Blues. (Independent) The rumours will not go away unless the two players put pen to paper
Watford are not interested in selling their 18-year-old Colombian winger Juan Camilo Hernandez, who has been impressing on loan at Spanish second-tier club Huesca. (Hertfordshire Mercury) Whether he will ever feature Watford though with their international conveyor belt of talent remains to be seen.
Paris St-Germain are still keen to sign Nice’s 26-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder Jean Seri. (Le Parisien – in French) Which is Nice…
